Stiffer penalties in the state's driver point system are coming in February.

Under the new rules, licenses will be suspended if a driver accrues 10 points within 24 months.

Currently, it takes 11 points in 18 months for that to happen.

"Point values for a lot of violations are going to go up significantly and can impact their ability to stay on the road," says spokesperson for AAA Northeast Robert Sinclair.

The state says increasing the time frame allows it "to review a longer period of operation for when administrative action can be taken for a persistent violator and will result in an increase of about 40% of drivers being classified as persistent violators."

"We've seen the number of fatal crashes and injury crashes increase and the number of impaired driving crashes is going up," says Sinclair.

There will also be higher point-values for violations like cellphone use while driving, speeding in a construction zone and reckless driving.

Some drivers think this will help reduce dangerous driving.

"With stricter rules, maybe they'll slow down a little bit," says Plainview resident Sibyl Berk.

Others see some possible negative effects.

"For those people that only get an occasional infraction, it may be a bit tough for them to have to be able to get the title off their license," says Bethpage resident Lois Nosowitz.